We have a little game we play with puppies. It usually starts after Dr. Burns gets finished examining one and starts chatting with the pup’s people. While the family is distracted, the puppy mysteriously disappears—sometimes until the visit is over and Dr. B walks the family back up to reception, where the missing puppy is usually sitting happily in a team member’s lap. While they’re chatting with Dr. B, we play “Pass the Puppy.”

It’s a simple game, really. All we do is spend a few seconds making a fuss over the puppy, breathing in puppy breath, and getting all slobbery before we pass the puppy on to the next teammate. We point out cool collars and neat markings and talk about how cute it is that one ear stands up and the other one folds at the tip or how big the beast’s feet are. And we hand out treats and pats. Lots of treats and pats. Like us, most puppies love this game.

And while Pass the Puppy is fun and seems like a silly distraction, it’s a critical part of helping puppies have a great experience here. They get a chance to meet lots of folks, smell lots of smells, and be handled gently by many hands. And they get treats. It helps them forget that we took their temperature or trimmed their toenails or gave a vaccination. In return, we get puppy therapy and a reminder of just how great our jobs are. And when we play this game well, we get a puppy that can’t wait to see us next time.

Preventing fear of veterinary visits is all about making them less scary. It starts at home, for sure, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t continue when you get to the veterinarian’s office. We play this little game with kittens (when their personality permits—some cats would hate it), and small adult dogs, too (Natasha will start a round with your Chihuahua faster than you can say sombrero!). When a pet is too big or nervous to play, we change the rules to suit them because every pet deserves to have as pleasant a visit as possible. Reducing stress is a win-win-win, really: pet owners avoid the stress of putting their pet through a difficult experience, pets that like trips to the vet are more likely to get the care they need, and we get patients that help make our jobs safe and rewarding.

So, what can (or do) we do to make your pets’ visit as pleasant as possible?

Posted on September 22nd, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Celebrating the Bond, Dogs, Feature Stories | 2 Comments »

Dogs have it pretty good these days, as Karen B. London, PhD recently pointed out in THE BARK. In 8 Reasons it’s Better to be a Dog Now than 25 Years Ago, London points out some of the ways dogs have it better now than they did in the 80′s. Written from her perspective as a behaviorist, London’s list understandably focuses on behavioral issues. I’ll admit we’ve made great strides in this area during the last three decades, but veterinary medicine has made progress during this time, too. So here’s our list of 8 advantages today’s pets have over those of yesteryear.

1. Safe, effective vaccinations against common contagious diseases. Canine parvovirus wasn’t known to science 30 years ago, and within a couple years this deadly virus spread worldwide. The development of effective vaccines has made parvo a disease of puppies and other unvaccinated dogs. Similarly, vaccinations against feline leukemia have been brought to market during the last few decades. Ongoing research has helped vaccines become more effective and less likely to cause unwanted side effects, and veterinarians have embraced the fact that vaccines’ protection often lasts more than a year—so most pets aren’t being vaccinated as much, either.
2. A focus on wellness has helped veterinarians shift their role from “firefighters” dealing with acute, preventable problems to “consultants” who educate pet owners about optimum health and focus on keeping pets well. We still do our share of “fixing” things, but we spend more time working to prevent problems to begin with. This same sort of shift occurred with human dentists during the last 40 years; instead of waiting until their patients needed their diseased teeth extracted, dentists changed focus to teach us how to care for our teeth better and keep them longer.
3. A wealth of information is now available at pet owners’ fingertips. Some veterinarians love it, and others hate it, but the internet is an unparalleled source of information about pet care and health topics. And while you need to be careful to make sure that the information is coming from a source you can trust, access to knowledge generally makes pet owners better able to work with us as partners in their pets’ care.
4. Pets have made their way from the backyard and barnyard and into our homes. Pets really are part of the family these days. Rare is the dog that is confined to the yard or the cat that lives exclusively in the barn. Living indoors helps protect pets from many dangers, including the weather, predators, cars, parasites, infectious diseases, and exposure to poisons. Indoor life also helps strengthen the bond we share with our pets.
5. Dog breath is more than bad breath. Veterinarians and pet owners are coming to realize that dental care improves and extends our pets’ lives. From brushing and other home care to professional cleanings, preventing and treating gum disease is a growing—and important—part of overall wellness. Veterinarians are finally making the same transition that dentists made: we’re learning to preserve teeth instead of just extracting them, and we’re helping pet owners do the same.
6. Specialty care has never been more available. Most urban areas now boast veterinary specialists in such areas as surgery, internal medicine, radiology, dermatology, dentistry, ophthalmology, oncology, cardiology, neurology, and even emergency and critical care. The days of driving for hours to a veterinary school when a specialist is needed are long gone in many parts of the country. In the Valley of the Sun, pet owners even have a choice among individual specialists in several disciplines.
7. Nutrition has become a focus. Research into pet nutrition continues to improve our knowledge of nutritional requirements, and consumer demand has resulted in unparalleled choice when it comes to pet foods. Pet obesity has become a topic of discussion during annual veterinary visits. And although contamination and recalls have made the news in recent years, they’ve also begun a wave of change in the pet food industry. Companies are now more proactive when there might be a problem with a product and don’t just sit back and wait to see what happens.
8. Behavioral wellness is starting to make its way into progressive veterinary practices. Instead of waiting for a dog to develop separation anxiety and destroy the couch or a cat to begin destructively scratching, some veterinarians have finally begun helping clients and pets by teaching pet owners how to avoid some predictable problems in the first place. Behavioral wellness is a kind of preventative care for the human-animal bond, and it’s an area that we hope to see more of our colleagues start emphasizing in the future.

So there you have it, eight ways in which veterinary practice has improved—and improved the lives of pets—over the last 25 years. What other reasons can you think of that make it better to be a pet today than 25 years ago?

Posted on September 8th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Cats, Celebrating the Bond, Dogs, Headlines | No Comments »

Medical professionals often talk about the “Standard of Care,” a set of guidelines that define the appropriate treatment for a particular health problem. The standard of care is what helps ensure that patients receive a similar basic level of care no matter where they’re treated. Standards of care are nice, because they help set our expectations and can help us compare healthcare providers on even terms. On the other hand, the standard is difficult to define, because it’s usually based on what a “reasonable and prudent” doctor working under similar conditions would do. So the standard of care for a certain disease in metro Phoenix may be different from the standard in the Australian outback. And both are probably a far cry from the standard in the remote Amazon wilderness.

It’s often said that “the standard of care is a moving target,” and nowhere is that more true than in veterinary medicine. Over the last ten years, the level of care available to pets has skyrocketed. We’ve become more accepting of the need for pain management in pets, realized that we were probably vaccinating more than we need to, and recognized that good oral health is critical for good health in general. Specialists in surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, radiology and other fields have left the teaching hospitals and begun serving most large cities. There’s never been a time when we could provide such advanced medical care for our pets. But there’s also never been a time when the veterinary standard of care was up for so much debate, either. Read more…

Posted on August 31st, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Feature Stories, Preserving the Bond, The Standard of Care | No Comments »

A feature on Forbes.com caught my attention this morning. The title alone was enough to draw a vet’s interest, but where it was published got me even more interested. What could a business news site have to say about pets?

In How to Handle Aging Parent’s Pets, Carolyn Rosenblatt, a nurse, attorney, and author of The Boomer’s Guide to Aging Parents, offers some realistic advice for children faced with aging parents who own pets. Obviously a pet love, Rosenblatt points out the extra-special bond that older pet owners share with their pets, and most of her suggestions are aimed at keeping seniors togheter with their pets in a way that’s safe, healthy, and fair to all involved. While the article is a good read, skimmers might prefer to view 10 Tips for Aging Parents and Pets, a companion slide show to the article (to change photos, use the next and previous buttons on the upper right of the page).

As a veterinarian, it’s hard not to appreciate how important pets are to senior pet owners. As a veterinarian living in a warm place where folks come to retire, leaving kids and grandkids to shovel snow somewhere else, I see this relationship take on even more importance in the lives of many of our clients. And as a son (my dad reads this blog, so I have to be careful here…) of parents who no longer think twice about asking for senior discounts, I expect that at least a portion of our weekly phone chats to revolve around the pets living in each of our homes. The only “sibling” I have living still at home is a scruffy Cairn terrier mix, after all.

Posted on August 6th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Celebrating the Bond, Feature Stories | No Comments »

Pets add something special to travel and outdoor recreation. From time to time, however, they get sick away from home, leaving pet lovers to ask “what do I do now?” Fortunately, travel-related stomach upset and small scrapes and scratches are easily treated no matter where you are, but what happens if your pet becomes seriously ill when you’re away from home? Setting up a first-aid kit is a great way to organize the supplies you might need during a pet-related emergency, at home or away. Read more…

Posted on August 4th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Cats, Dogs, Preserving the Bond | No Comments »

PPH will be closed on Monday, September 6th in observance of Labor Day. We’ll be unavailable from 6 pm on Friday the third until 8 am on Tuesday the 7th. If your pet should require veterinary care in our absence, please call our trusted colleagues at the Emergency Animal Clinic in Gilbert. The EAC is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can be contacted at 480-497-0222. Have a safe and fun holiday!

Posted on August 4th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Announcements, Headlines | No Comments »

While the finding is subject to debate, German scientists announced that they have used carbon dating to determine the age of a canine jaw found in a cave just across the Swiss border. The bone was unearthed in the late 1800′s, but aging of the 14,000 year-old fragment has renewed a debate about when and where dogs were domesticated.

While this research team claims that the bone is the oldest evidence of domestication—based in part on the spacing and size of teeth—a 37,000 year-old fossil canine skull was unearthed in Belgian caves. The authors of the current study argue that these are wolf skulls, because the remains of many wolves were discovered in the same general area. 

In any case, dogs have been a valuable part of human culture for centuries and they remain important to many of us today. Snuggle up with your pooch and read more about the debate surrounding the age of the world’s oldest dog on Discovery News.

Posted on August 4th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Celebrating the Bond, Dogs, Feature Stories | No Comments »

Like most of our clients, our team will enjoy a much-deserved day of rest on Monday, July 5th, as we observe Independence day. This means we’ll be unavailable from 6 pm on Friday the 2nd until 8 am on Tuesday the 6th. The Emergency Animal Clinic in Gilbert is available 24/7 for emergencies; you can reach the EAC at (480) 497-0222. Thanks for your understanding and have a safe, happy Fourth of July!

Posted on June 28th, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Announcements, Headlines | No Comments »

Natural Balance has recalled five- and and 28-pound bags of Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog food, manufactured on December 17, 2009 with a “Best By” date of June 17, 2011. This voluntary recall has been ordered because a random sampling of this product tested positive for by the FDA; independent testing ordered by the company has failed to confirm this finding. For more about the recall, go to Natural Balance’s website.

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Headlines, Product Safety and Recalls | No Comments »

The former manager of Australia’s Royal Institute of the Blind’s puppy program credited with coining the name “Labradoodle” after breeding the first litter of the popular pooch now wishes he hadn’t, according to a recent interview with The Australian. 

Wally Conran paired a purebred Labrador from the puppy program with his boss’ standard poodle back in 1988, hoping to provide a guide dog that didn’t shed to a bilnd woman in Hawaii whose husband was allergic to dogs.  22 years later, the Labradoodle is recognized as the first of a growing group of “designer” dog breeds that, love ‘em or hate ‘em, are here to stay.

Veterinarians see oodles and oodles of “-oodles” and “-doodles” on a weekly basis. Same goes for “hybrid” small and toy breeds beginning in “malti-,” ending in “-orkie” and everything in between. While most are very nice dogs, it’s still hard not to chuckle when we hear the term “purebred” used in the same sentence, and somewhat frustrating to think that just 10 years ago, veterinary teams and clients used to share a fun few minutes making up cute names to describe the fantastic mixed-breed that a client just adopted from the local shelter.

And that’s what these dogs really are: mixed breeds. Mutts. Mongrels. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But subscribing to the idea that designer dogs have their own set of well-defined “breed” characteristics or are free from the genetic defects that occur in their parent breeds is simply preposterous.

Pet owners who do so choose purebred dogs because they have a “breed standard,” a list of physical and behavioral characteristics that have been selectively bred for over many generations. In selecting a (well-bred) purebred, you are selecting a dog that should—and there are exceptions—reach an adult size and weight within a specified range, have grooming requirements that can be easily anticipated (and budgeted for), and require an expected level of activity and exercise. Anyone who has seen 100 labradoodles can tell you that you really can’t predict what an individual dog might look or act like as an adult; they may be shaggy, curly or short-haired, they may weigh 50 pounds or 100, and they may be a mellow dog that would contentedly sit in a duck blind or a spirited beast that can’t run far or fast enough.

“Hybrid” dogs aren’t necessarily healthier, either. Frequently, the dogs combined in these breedings are less-than-perfect examples of their own breeds; they may have cosmetic and medical defects that can just as easily be passed on to “hybrid” offspring as they can to purebred puppies. Hip dysplasia, allergic skin disease, dental misalignment and other problems common in both Labs and poodles are often seen in Labradoodles, so don’t buy the line that they’re somehow free of genetic defects because they’re a mix of two breeds.

To me, if a pet owner is going to take a gamble on a new dog’s appearance, temperament, and health, why not gamble on a dog that will end up in the landfill if a home can’t be found for it? Shelters in Maricopa County euthanize thousands and thousands of unwanted dogs (and cats) every year. Many of those dogs have the size, shape, and “look” that you might be after. Why not invest $60 and save a life? After all, a best friend is a best friend no matter what you call him.

Finally, the idea of laying down $1000 or more for a dog that’s indistinguishable from many that could be adopted at from a shelter—especially if that means there’s not a penny left in the family budget to provide a good diet, veterinary care, group training classes, and other puppy necessities—just doesn’t make sense to this dog lover. So here’s my plea: spend a weekend “shopping” for the mixed breed that’s right for you at the local shelter or with a rescue group instead of the classifieds or a pet store. You’ll be glad you did. Poinsetter (German shorthaired pointer/English setter) anyone?

Posted on May 3rd, 2010 by Dr. G
Filed under: Celebrating the Bond, Dogs, Feature Stories | No Comments »